Swapping Motherboard

[VarShayiskhum]

I am looking at downsizing my system into a mini itx. I currently have a z690 ace. I am looking at getting the z690 mini itx board from MSI or the equivalent one from ASUS. Now to do the swap would I need to do a fresh windows install or should just swapping the drives work just fine? I’ve never done a swap like this before.

[OddOod]

It probably depends on how your PC is licensed. OEM build or fully purchased key? Home or Pro? 10 or 11? Linked to MS account?
I'd definitely grab your product key, just in case. But I think you should be fine. You might have to go through the automated over the phone key transfer process which is annoying and can take 15minutes. but is reasonably easy. 
From an admin cmdc run

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Regardless, MS is remarkably forgiving on OS licensing for personal use.
Best of luck!

[-rascal-]

7 hours ago, VarShayiskhum said:

I am looking at downsizing my system into a mini itx. I currently have a z690 ace. I am looking at getting the z690 mini itx board from MSI or the equivalent one from ASUS. Now to do the swap would I need to do a fresh windows install or should just swapping the drives work just fine? I’ve never done a swap like this before.

 

You should be able to just swap the board.

However, you should uninstall all the motherboard drivers (i.e. Audio, Ethernet/WiFi, chipset, SATA, etc), swap the board, and install the new ones belonging to the new board.

 

You *may* need to do something with the Windows license key, as @OddOodmentioned.

Otherwise, that's about it.

 

You don't NEED to reinstall Windows, but it may to a good to use that opportunity to get rid of any junk files / registry files, leftover OS patch files, etc.

[ewitte]

I've done this before.  I'm usually in a hurry and don't format but will probably within 6 months.  I have a key on my Microsoft account but I also have windows 7 OEM keys all over the place.  Windows 10/11 install still takes the windows 7 keys.

[OddOod]

3 hours ago, -rascal- said:

You don't NEED to reinstall Windows, but it may to a good to use that opportunity to get rid of any junk files / registry files, leftover OS patch files, etc.

ALWAYS a fan of this route. I aver a policy of fresh install every 2 years. I do one closer to every 4 because do as I say not as I do. Though I have gotten my spinup routine down from 3 weeks to 3 days